Dubai Basketball, the first professional club of the UAE, made history on Friday by winning the ABA League title.
A thrilling 83-81 win over Partizan in the fourth game of the ABA League finals series earned Dubai Basketball the coveted trophy.
Dubai Basketball won the first two games of the Finals series at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai earlier this month.
Then Partizan, one of the biggest clubs in Europe, won the third game in Belgrade to keep their hopes alive.
But the Dubai team held their nerve in the fourth game on the away court to clinch a historic win, becoming the first team from Asia to win one of the biggest basketball leagues in Europe.
Dubai Basketball head coach Aleksander Sekulić was lost for words after the final buzzer amid incredible scenes on the court.
“This title means a lot for a club that is only in its second year of existence. We had a great season, and this trophy belongs to everyone who was part of this journey: the players, the coaches and all the staff who contributed along the way. They all played an important role in what we achieved together,” Sekulić said.
In their second season as a professional team featuring elite players from Europe, Dubai Basketball proved their class by competing in two big events simultaneously.
While Dubai went on to win the ABA League, they came close to securing a play-in spot in the Euro League, the biggest basketball tournament after the NBA.
They finished 11th in the Euro League before finishing their season with a memorable ABA League triumph.
What made this triumph so special is that the Iran War forced Dubai Basketball to move their home matches to Europe. It was a big blow to their hopes as the change in venue robbed them of the chance to play in front of their passionate fans at Coca-Cola Arena.
They finally returned for the first two games of the ABA League finals, drawing huge crowds at Coca-Cola Arena.
Spurred on by the support of their fans, they produced outstanding performances, winning the first two games by 99-93 on June 4 and 86-81 on June 6.
The two-nil lead gave them a solid platform to go for the title.
Despite Partizan winning the third game 84-70 on Wednesday, Dubai Basketball overcame every challenge in the fourth game to emerge champions.
“It has been a special season because we spent a long period playing away from Dubai, but the team stayed united and kept fighting until the end,” Sekulić said.
“We are proud to bring this title to Dubai and the UAE. This is for our fans and for everyone who supported us throughout the season.”
While the success was built on teamwork and consistency, the club’s Canadian star Mfiondu Kabengele received the ABA League Finals MVP award for his impressive average of 15.75 points in four games.
Source: Khaleej Times